How Much Does a Crease on a Hammered English Gold Coin Affect the Value?

I bought this gold angel a few years ago. I noted immediately that it had a crease, which is most visible on the obverse at just above 3 o’clock. PCGS apparently ignored it because they gave the coin a straight AU-50 grade. The coin is of great historical interest to me because Henry IV introduced the denomination as part of his monetary reforms or perhaps "adjustments" would be a better term.

These coins are very thin, and they are made of gold. It would be very easy to bend them. I am going to find out how fragile they are, perhaps tomorrow. I expect to receive a James I Half Laurel shortly. No, I’ not going to try to bend it, but I will get to see one of these type of coins raw without a slab around it.

So how much does the crease hurt coin? You might as well be brutally honest.

 

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If you've been happy with this beautiful coin for years, indeed since you bought it, then the crease has precisely zero effect on its value to you, and if you aren't planning on selling it, thats all that counts. If the crease was remotely visible in the original sale pic then Id say whatever you paid is perfectly priced in.

(I think no one buys based on a slabbers grade, but on pictures)

 

To me, it doesn't bother me at all...it is quite an exquisite coin!

Now, we do know how finicky some collectors are, & should you decide to divest of this coin, I would think you would probably have fewer interested, but enough would be interested that I wouldn't expect you to lose on it.

Now regarding:

...maybe this will be a more "hardy" specimen (thus, a Laurel & Hardy coin perhaps? )

 

It's a beautiful coin. I wouldn't be bothered at all with the crease if it were mine

Q

 

I probably should explain this sentence for those who don't collect British coins in detail.

While I was purchasing a collection of British coins that included at least one coin for each king, for those kings who issued coins, I set groats (4 pence) coins side by side of Henry VI and Edward IV. I surprised and concerned to see that the Edward IV groat was a bit smaller. (28 mm vs. 25 mm) Had I goofed up and bought a counterfeit? I had been warned that neophytes like me could fall prey to such things. After a little research I learned that this was perfectly okay.



Henry VI Groat, left, Edward IV Groat, right

Edward IV had been forced to reduce the size of the silver and gold coins because the metal prices had increased.

At the same time the value of gold nobel was raised to 8 shillings and 4 pence. Edward introduced a new nobel, called the Ryal or "Rose Noble" that wieghed 120 grains with a value of 10 shillings. The merchants wanted a coin that the value of the old noble, which had been 6 shillings and 8 pence. Therefore Edward introduced a new gold coin, the angel, which had the value of the older coin.

 

Being brutally honest: PCGS didn't miss the bending they along with NGC just think its market acceptable which I tend to agree with. I'm a big fan of hammered gold and most of my specimens are well bent which I'm fine with. Pure gold is malleable and those angels are incredibly thin. Heres a similar coin which was probably crunched up like a ball at one point and straightened out. Hard to believe otherwise for a coin of such age. Despite that I have no qualms what so ever about the bending and am still beyond delighted to own it. An angel is on my want list and quality of strike and amount of remaining detail far far outweight the bending. In short I quite like your coin for the grade and wouldn't give a second thought to the crease

 

Wavy flans occur quite frequently with coinage from this period, mostly due to the very thin flans.

That's a beautiful gold angel!